Lehigh Acres residents upset over excess of feral cats in neighborhood

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LEE COUNTY, Fla.- A Lehigh Acres couple says stray cats are overrunning their street, and they’re blaming their neighbor who feeds them.

Lee County Animal Services says they may have a solution to the feline feud.

“We’ve had a good relationship. So what is the problem if I have a problem with your cats pooing on my lawn?”

Jennifer and Allen Evered are upset with their neighbor’s overfeeding of stray cats.

“She doesn’t pick up after her cats. They’re using our property as a litter box,” said Jennifer Evered.

Jill Shell says the cats have lived on Alleman Avenue for decades.

“I’m one of five families in the area that feed them,” said Shell.

Both sides say the fight recently escalated after the cats multiplied.

“We call them ‘feeder breeders’ because that’s what’s happening. People just continue to feed the cats and they just breed outta control,” said Ria Brown with Lee County Animal Services.

Animal Services says one solution is their trap, neuter, and release program. It’s free, but it requires people to pitch in.

They have to set the traps and bring the cats into Animal Services.

“People are very compassionate about the cats and that’s why they want to feed them. And I think they don’t really realize, that’s creating a much bigger problem. The way to really be more compassionate is to get them sterilized first, and then you can feed them,” said Brown.

The Evered’s say they’re not interested in trapping the cats but Shell says she will try to bring in some of the cats.

Animal Services say there are 120,000 feral cats in Lee County. They’re holding a workshop Satruday at 10 a.m. at Lee County Animal Services located at 5600 Banner Drive in Fort Myers. For more information, click here. 

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